Motorsport star walked away from career after her team's X-rated request

Emma Kimilainen quit racing after X-rated request. Photo / Instagram

F1 hopeful Emma Kimilainen has broken her silence, saying she once quit racing after her team told her to pose topless for a magazine.

The 31-year-old took four years away from the sport in 2009 but has since returned to become a star in the all-female W Series.

Now she's spoken for the first time about what almost pushed her away from the sport entirely.

Kimilainen revealed her team had secured her a sponsor for the 2010 season, but it quickly turned sour after she found out the sponsor was a "high-end men's magazine".

Speaking on the Shikaani Formula 1 Podcast, she admitted she walked away after being told her signing depended on her posing topless.

"I was preparing to perform on the team but I decided to ask for more details.

"They told me they wanted pictures of me in a bikini and topless.

Emma Kimilainen quit racing after X-rated request. Photo / Instagram

"I asked what was going on, until I realised that the partner was an erotic male magazine. I immediately refused.

"Today that proposal seems absurd and incorrect, but the world was very different 10 years ago with regard to women's rights and equality in general.

"In competition there were girls with little clothes and women who showed a sexist image associated with the sex industry.

"I faced this with humour, as one of the crazy things that happened to me during these years."

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A post shared by Emma Kimiläinen (@emmakimilainen)

Kimilainen later Tweeted: "I'm speechless of the amount of support. I'll never be 'the complainer' talking about 'what ifs'. My journey is still unfinished. Let's race!"

Dont know what kind of truth serum I drank before the @shikaani podcast but it happened that I talked about things I've remained silent. Remaining silent is easier when you don't want attention about things unrelated to your results and you don't like drama. But here we are😅 1/6

— Emma Kimiläinen (@EmmaKimilainen) December 29, 2020